White Ghost, Red Mist
by CALLEN37
Summary: Kensi is on the hunt for White Ghost, but finds more than she's looking for, suddenly she has a lot more to protect and an unlikely ally. Requested by bdn2372 cover art by @MeleenaCollins. WIP
1. Chapter 1

As requested by bdn2372

* * *

White Ghost, Red mist.

Kensi had been in Afghanistan for three months, three months and all she'd had from Deeks was a phone call over Christmas, she really missed him. They had just started out on their relationship, she was known as one date Blye for a reason, not one she had ever wanted to divulge, but she hadn't wanted Deeks to be a part of the one date rule.

She lay there on her bunk looking at the photo he'd sent her in his suit. She knew that he was different, he was her partner, he knew she could let him in. but she had he secrets and wasn't sure if she was ready to share her biggest with him.

Granger knocked on the door, "Blye, we have a lead on White Ghost." He called through the door.

"On my way; 20 minutes ok?" she asked.

"Sure I'll make you coffee, I'll be at the map table." Granger said walking away.

Kensi's view of Granger had changed a lot since they had come out here.

She looked over the map of the terrain, Granger pointing out the last location of White Ghost, "How fresh is this Intel?" she asked.

"Four hours, although I checked in with our man watching him, he's been bunking with the local Taliban Cell, he hasn't left yet." Granger told her.

She looked at the photo's "who's the smaller person with him?" she asked,

"We don't know, he's never seen unmasked, but he shoots as well as the White Ghost does, I know people call him Ghost and the shorter guy goes by Casper."

Kensi smiled, "The friendly Ghost huh?" she chuckled.

"Not so friendly." Granger pulled CIA footage of Casper shooting at a bomb that took out a Military transport.

Kensi looked impressed "That's a hard target even for a sniper, a bomb that small at 500 yards."

"Yeah, White Ghost is the priority but Casper is the danger."

"I'll keep an eye out for him." Kensi said turning to her gun, she checked the sights before she packed it away in her case.

"I'm your spotter Blye." Granger said putting his bag down next to her.

She looked up at him, "Ok you ready?" she asked.

He nodded and they went outside and climbed into the humvee that was waiting for them.

* * *

Setting up on the ridge above the caves that she'd been told was the latest place that White Ghost was hiding she checked her sights.

She looked through her scope as Granger checked out the distance with his binoculars, "Who's that?" Kensi asked as a young girl of about 7 came out; she walked over to the well and filled a bucket with water.

"Dunno, maybe a native?" Granger shrugged.

Kensi looked at the child a familiar pang tugged at her heart and she fought it down, here and now was not the place to think about that.

"Sabatino is going in undercover, he's set up with a local Taliban group, and they are going to introduce him to White Ghost today, watch for him." Granger advised.

Kensi nodded and settled in, the one part of being a sniper she didn't like was the waiting, but it was needed, she watched as a man came up in a Jeep. The girl ran up to him holding a cup, the man removed his scarf and took a sip.

He threw the cup and her feet and backhanded her around the face. She fell to her knees, not crying or making a sound she picked up the cup, nodded and headed back to make another cup.

Kensi's grip tightened on her trigger.

"Wait Blye." Granger said. "I know you wanna shoot that guy, but we aren't here to stop kids getting hurt, we are here to make sure White Ghost does not get away, you tip our hand too soon and we'll lose him."

Kensi gave a curt nod, not loosening her finger at all.

Sabatino pulled up with the local Taliban leader. He got out of the car and the man from earlier with the girl in tow walked over to them.

The man pointed to the girl talking to the local tribesman, she shook her head and tried pulling away. The tribesman nodded and handed a bag over to the man Sabatino signaled as White Ghost.

She raised her rifle to shoot him between the eyes as he turned and took off his helmet to wipe his forehead.

"NO!" Kensi dropped the rifle and looked shocked at Granger.

"That's Jack!...then that's?" she said shocked, she raised the rifle, she shot Jack through the shoulder and the kneecap and then aimed at the Taliban leader who was trying to pull the girl away from Jack who was rolling around on the floor in pain.

"NO!" Kensi said her voice rough and shot the Taliban leader through the forehead and he dropped to the ground dead.

"What the HELL!" Sabatino yelled into his walkie, "Granger what the Hell happened?"

* * *

The girl pulled a gun out of her pants and aimed at Sabatino and shifted her aim as Kensi got up and ran over the dune towards the chaos.

Sabatino pulled his gun on the girl.

"I ain't gonna hurt you kid; you wanna help yourself, put the gun down and tell us who Casper is."

The girl looked him right in the eyes; her eyes looked familiar to him as she stepped towards Jack protecting him.

Kensi tripped as she ran down the dune, running towards them, "KAYLA!" she screamed.

The girl looked blankly as Jack moved and grabbed his gun, and aimed it at the girl. "You ain't getting her." Jack snarled as Kensi skidded to a halt.

"No…Jack please, is it her? Is it really?" she asked her heart thudding wildly as she got her breath back.

Sabatino and Granger covered Kensi not really sure what to do.

Jack smiled, "Say hi to mommy; Kens, say goodbye." He snarled and his finger tightened on the trigger.

His body twitched as both Sabatino and Granger shot him.

The girl screamed and flung herself on her father. "Daddy!"

"Kayla…honey…" Kensi said walking over to her.

The girl looked at her, "who are you?" she asked, "Why did you shoot my daddy?"

"Kayla…" Kensi looked stricken.

Sabatino looked over at the scene, White Ghost was dead on the ground, the local Taliban leader next to him, and the only person he could get answers from was the girl.

"We need to bring her in, we still need to find Casper." Sabatino said to Granger who nodded.

She looked up at the name, and pulled her gun on them, "I am not going with you." She snapped.

"What's your name kid, we won't hurt you."

"Kayla," Kensi said.

"Casper…My name is Casper." She said.

Kensi looked like she was going to cry, it was such a foreign look for her Granger had to look twice, Bad Ass Blye as the LA team called her was actually crying.

"No…" she sobbed, "Not you…he couldn't?"

The girl looked up at the crying woman and reached out a hand to brush the tear stained face, it struck a chord in her, something she remembered from when she was very little.

"Momma…" she whispered and then snatched her hand back.

Kensi looked at her and nodded, "Yeah Kayla…do you remember me?"

"Casper…my name is Casper…she shook her head, you can't be my momma, she's dead." She said flatly. "You're lying."

Kensi sat up and took a locket from around her neck on a very long chain. "Look."

She opened the locket to show the girl who slowly put her gun down. Granger took the gun and handed it to Sabatino.

"That's…that's me?" she said amazed.

Kensi nodded.

Kayla blinked, "But…he said…he told me…" she turned around and threw herself on his body, only this time she wasn't crying she was hitting his corpse. "You lied….Daddy you lied…I HATE YOU!" she screamed hitting him.

"Kayla." Kensi said standing up, Granger walked up to her and put a hand on her arm, but she shook him off.

"Kayla Jade Blye…" Kensi said.

Kayla stopped hitting her father's body and turned around.

"You…you really are her?!" Kayla asked amazed.

Kensi nodded and Kayla ran towards her mother and wrapped her arms around her.

"Well?" Sabatino said to Granger. "How are we going to write this one up?" he asked.

Granger looked at Kensi, who looked up suddenly scared.

"Casper and White Ghost are dead." He pointed to the local tribesman, "That is Casper; you know nothing about a girl. Kensi is going home." Granger said.

"Granger, I can't…" Kensi started.

"You and you're daughter will come with me," Granger said. "Sabatino, she is classified. No one will hear about this."

Sabatino nodded, "Your secret is safe with me kid." he said.

* * *

Kayla walked with her mother to the Jeep and got in the keys were still in the ignition, driving back to the spot where Kensi and Granger had waited, Kayla watched from the Jeep as her mother and the strange man packed up their things.

"Kayla, do you have any belongings?" Granger asked.

Kayla shook her head, everything she owned belonged to her father, nothing was hers she knew that.

Granger looked over at Kensi, "We will get her out as fast as we can, if the CIA find out she is Casper, they'll be after her."

"Why are you helping me?" Kensi asked him as Kayla watched warily from the backseat of the jeep.

"I owed your father, and he would do the same to protect you." He said simply.

Kensi nodded and climbed into the jeep.

They drove on until they reached the edge of the camp.

"Stay here, I'll get your stuff and get you both on a transport out of here. You'll go back to the US but for now do NOT make contact with your team; I'll give you my number so you can call me. But keeping her safe from the CIA is our first priority," he told her.

Kensi sat in the Jeep as Granger walked into camp, this was all too much, this was supposed to be a simple assignment, Kill White Ghost and get out. Not this.

"What's gonna happen to me?" Kayla asked from the backseat.

"I'm taking you home to America," Kensi said.

"But he…the man said that the CIA want me," Kayla asked her voice scared, "I only did as Dad told me to."

Kensi sighed, "Granger will help us, I trust him and there is always Hetty."

"Hetty?"

Kensi smiled, "Someone the same size and just as formidable as you are."

Kayla looked at her mother with awe. "Really? And they can protect me?"

"We will all protect you." Kensi promised.

They looked up as Granger walked back with two bags, "I got your stuff a few extra things for the kid I could scrounge. Get on the plane at Kandahar and it will fly you into San Diego, go to this address on arrival, I'll be there in a few days." He said handing her a key and a piece of paper.

"Stay there, I will let Hetty know you are back, but do NOT contact anyone else." Granger warned, "We have to clear her name before the CIA try and turn her into an asset." Granger said.

Kensi nodded as she started the Jeep up, "Thank you Owen." She said honestly. "I owe you one."

"Good, when I get back you can explain about all of this." Owen smiled at her and then at the girl, "Safe flight kid." He said.

She nodded and held onto her seatbelt as Kensi floored the gas pedal.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N...Thanks Boss!

* * *

Chapter 2

Waking up as the plane touched down in San Diego, a marine put his hand on her shoulder, "We've landed Miss. You wanna wake the kid up?" he asked.

Kensi smiled and looked over at the sleeping child, it was real. The sleeping seven-year-old beside her shifted as Kensi moved her arm.

"Momma?" she asked, as she opened her eyes.

"I'm here, and it is real." Kensi said, smiling at her child.

Kayla looked shocked; she'd had dreams about her mother all her life. A kind but sad woman, who had sat by her bed crying. She reached out with her hand and touched Kensi's cheek.

"We've landed Baby. We have to go." Kensi said, moving away.

"No!" Kayla grabbed Kensi's shirt, "Don't leave me." She sobbed.

Kensi picked her up, and with the help of the same Marine, who had woken her, exited the plane.

She was surprised to find Hetty and a car on the tarmac waiting for her.

"Hetty?" Kensi said in shock, staring at the diminutive woman.

"Owen called me; we need to get you two settled as soon as possible."She said opening the door and helping Kensi in with her child.

* * *

They pulled up outside a gated house; Hetty got out and typed in a number on the keypad. Climbing in the car she waited as the gates opened.

"Where are we?" Kensi asked tiredly.

"One of my homes, one Mr. Callen does not know about…it is used from time to time as a safe house. I have had it kitted out ready for you to help your daughter acclimatize to being with you."

Kensi stepped out of the car and looked in awe at the house. It was huge; it had a large red bricked entrance. It was without a doubt the largest house she had ever seen.

"What's the security like?" she asked concerned for her daughters safety,

"No one will get in here, you will both be safe. I have a room prepared for Miss Kayla. If you would like to bring her inside, I am sure the jet lag will have left her tired." Hetty walked into the house and started up the stairs as Kensi picked Kayla up bringing her inside.

Kensi stopped at the room Hetty had made available for her daughter; the room was light and airy, with flowing silk curtains and a pile of cuddly toys, books, games and a large soft bed with lots of pillows.

"It's….wonderful Hetty, thank you." She breathed.

She lay Kayla down on the bed and the little girl instinctively grabbed a bear that was near her and curled up into a ball exhaustion fueling her sleep.

* * *

Kensi walked downstairs with Hetty and sank into a chair as Hetty poured her a cup of tea.

"I…I don't know what to do?" She sighed, "I never thought that White Ghost would be Jack."

She took a sip of the tea allowing the fragrance of the brew to calm her, "What do I do know?" she asked tears she had held back now spilling from her mismatched eyes.

"It will be ok." Hetty said worried etching her features at the state of her young agent.

"How?" Kensi asked wiping her eyes, "I am in the U.S. Hiding my daughter from a government agency on U.S. soil. The daughter that only you knew about and oh yeah, her father turned her into a killer!" she looked totally broken.

"She's seven years old Hetty, she is a better shot than I am, she's killed people, he took my Baby's innocence." She sobbed and Hetty moved to sit next to her.

"She should be playing with dolls, and dressing up as a princess, and….and…playing with kittens and skipping…instead she's building I.E.D's killing troops and working with the Taliban…she's a child soldier, not a child…Hetty, I've been looking for her for so long, I want my baby back!" Kensi broke down and held Hetty, not caring that this was her boss, who she usually feared; right now she was another woman, a woman who knew her secret that she could not tell other people.

"Kensi." Hetty took the other woman's chin in her hand and lifted her face, handing her a tissue so she could wipe her eyes. "Owen told me all about this, we will protect you both. What were you told?"

Kensi took the pre-offered tissue and wiped her eyes, "Owen said he would contact me as soon as he could and that I was not. Under any circumstances, to contact the team."

"That would be wise, in the circumstances." Hetty advised, "I will have to get a new birth certificate for your daughter, and a new identity."

Kensi looked panicked, "She must still be my daughter, I'm not losing her again and I won't allow anyone else to have her." She said defensively.

"Will you be able to talk her into having a new name?" Hetty asked, "If anyone connects her to Jack or Casper, you are not going to be able to hide her,"

"I think, I need to leave with her, until it's safe, make a whole new start." Kensi said her eyes darting to the exits already.

"You will stay here for a week; rest, there are things I need to sort out." Hetty said, "Go upstairs, you need some sleep. Your room is next to your daughters' I will be here when you wake." She said ushering the younger woman out.

Hetty watched as Kensi went upstairs. She reached into her purse and got out her phone, "Mr. Deeks, I have a top secret assignment for you, meet me at this address…"

* * *

Owen Granger all but growled at the head of the CIA, "I don't care; I have Intel that says your report was wrong Granger. I know about Jack McKinley, I know about Casper…More importantly I know you have her." The director yelled at him.

Owen looked at the large monitor, shivering slightly not sure whether it was the cold, or the fact that he had a very bad feeling about this.

"I don't have anyone." Owen said honestly.

"Sabatino!" The Director roared over the secure connection spotting the CIA agent in the background.

"Sir?" Sabatino stood next to Granger looking totally innocent a knot of concern filling his core as he looked at the Director of the CIA on the screen.

"Where is she?" The Director asked.

"Who Sir?" Sabatino asked being as vague as possible.

"Casper… or Blye…my sources say they were seen together landing in San Diego…I will find them." The director snarled as he cut off the connection.

"Damn…Granger is there any way you can warn Kensi. I don't know who has been reporting to the director behind my back, I thought I had this all in hand…unless…" Sabatino stopped in mid sentence and ran to where he had a pile of Jack's things. Rifling through the things they had gathered from the cave, Sabatino picked up Jack's laptop and switched it on.

"Owen…" he breathed. "Jack was CIA…that means they already knew about Casper and…" Sabatino stopped as he read the files on Jack's laptop. "They were training her; the kid…Casper is a CIA asset."

Owen looked horrified, "But she's a child?" He looked at the plans on Jack's laptop, "They can't be allowed to find her and complete this mission." He sat down in shock, "I need to fill Hetty in, and Kensi will need to disappear."

* * *

Deeks pulled up outside the gates of the large house.

Monty sat in the backseat of the car his tail wagging happy to be out with his master, Deeks looked over at him and scratched his ear, "You, be on your best behavior," he warned the ageing police dog as he drove through the gates and parked up outside the house.

He got out and grabbed his bag that Hetty had instructed him to bring.

Before he even got a chance to ring the bell the door opened.

"Hetty?" he said looking at the operations manager.

"Please, come in Mr. Deeks." Hetty moved aside and ushered him and Monty to the kitchen where there was a mug of coffee already on the side and a bowl of water and dog kibble on the floor for Monty who made a beeline straight for them.

"I have an assignment for you." She said as he sat watching her.

Deeks nodded, "Ok, what is it?" he asked there were no files and Bates' hadn't known anything about it, only that Hetty had requested him for an assignment and that he should go.

"I need you to take on a long term undercover assignment; you are to protect a woman and her child." Hetty said to him.

There was a sound as a small girl walked into the kitchen and looked terrified at the pair of them.

Hetty smiled, "Are you hungry my dear?" she asked.

The girl nodded her huge brown eyes looking for something familiar.

Hetty got a bowl of what looked to Deeks like a leftover curry and flat bread and placed it on the table. The child stared at it hungrily. "It is alright little one, you may eat it."

She watched the adults with scared eyes and snatched the bread and moved to the corner on the floor to eat next to the dog.

Hetty sensing the child's fear gave her the bowl and backed away.

* * *

"God…what happened to her?" Deeks whispered.

"She was in Afghanistan where she was a child soldier. Her father was Ms Blye's target." Hetty said quietly.

"Why am I here?" Deeks asked.

"Her mother needs someone she can trust to watch her back and keep them both safe, until we can make it safe for the girl to be allowed to live in America."

Deeks looked at the child, something tugged his heartstrings watching as she ate the food with gusto. "What's her name?" he asked.

"Right now, her name is…" Hetty started.

"Kayla? KAYLA!" Kensi called running down the stairs, "Hetty I can't find her!" she yelled in a panic.

"Momma?" Kayla got up ran passed a shocked Deeks and jumped into her mother's arms.

"Oh my God…Baby, I was so worried," Kensi snatched the child up and hugged her tightly.

"Momma…food…" Kayla pointed to her dish on the floor.

Kensi hadn't noticed Deeks and looked at Hetty, "Why was my daughter eating with…Monty?"

Kensi turned around looking at a thoroughly shocked Deeks.

"Why is he here?" she asked standing between her daughter and Deeks.

* * *

"There has been a complication; Mr. Deeks is going into protective custody with you. Owen called with some information that means that young Kayla is actively being sought, as well as you are, by the CIA."

"I thought that Sabatino was going to cover for us?" Kensi asked her grip on her daughter tightening.

"Mommy?" Kayla said as she squirmed in her mother's arms.

"Sorry." Kensi put her down and watched as she walked up to the dog, eyeing it carefully.

"Jack was CIA." Hetty said "They were training Kayla."

Kensi moved back a step and Deeks put his hand supportively on her shoulder.

"What am I going to do?" Kensi breathed her hand covering Deeks'.

Hetty smiled slightly although her voice became grim. "You Ms Blye, along with Mr. Deeks and young Kayla, are going to run."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Six months, it had been six months since Kensi, Deeks and Kayla ran.

They had had no contact with Hetty since the day they had left. Deeks and Kensi both had gone missing from NCIS and LAPD.

They had taken their guns, but left their badges behind. They had taken a small bag each and left at the dead of night, Kayla now Cassie sleeping most of the way, for two months they wandered aimlessly, New Mexico, Arizona where Cassie had had some intensive child therapy with a friend of Hetty's, Texas, Oregon, then back to California, having brought a trailer when they finally arrived in a small town called Smith River. Deeks had taken a job as the local handyman. He'd had his hair cut and dyed brown. The new family all had new identities.

Mark Jackson, his wife, Karen Jackson and their daughter, Cassie Jackson lived quietly. Cassie was homeschooled by Karen, the story being that she had been behind in as the family had travelled a lot although she was looking at joining the local school. Being the daughter of the well loved handyman meant that not too many people asked questions. Karen was a quite homemaker, she made Jams and bread and cheese with the few animals they kept on a smallholding and took them once a month with Cassie into the local store.

* * *

Deeks woke up as Kensi shifted in his arms, her warm breath ghosting over his chest.

"Good morning Karen." He grinned.

Kensi looked up at him sleepy. She kissed him gently. "Morning Mark." She yawned. "Do you have any appointments today?" she asked. She hoped not, but they did need the money.

Kensi ran her hand over the new bump that was forming in her stomach; Karen Jackson was four months pregnant with their first son.

"And good morning to you I hope you are going to be good for Daddy?" Deeks asked kissing her bump.

"I'm sure he will," Kensi smiled.

"What do you have planned today?" he asked.

"Cassie and I are going into town, I need a few more things for the baby and I have a new batch of bread to sell." She smiled.

Deeks sat up and pulled his shirt on, "That reminds me, I have a job at the store today…Simon needs new shelves," he told her. "Do you want a ride?" he asked.

"After breakfast." She smiled, it was surprising that since Kensi had left she had taken cooking courses and found she actually had a flair for it. Having been teased by Deeks over the fact that she could actually cook she proceeded to find that baking was her specialty.

Deeks walked into the hallway and was bowled over by a small puppy, "Bella?" he said to the small black and white pit-bull cross, "Calm down girl," he opened the door and let her out into the garden.

"Daddy?!" a voice came from down the hall as the eight-year-old came running down the hall, "Bella took my ribbon!" she cried.

"This one?" Deeks asked handing Cassie a small purple ribbon.

"Thank you." Cassie said kissing her father's cheek as she took it, "Pancakes Daddy?" she asked.

Deeks nodded, "Mommy is in the shower, so I'm cooking." He grinned.

"Yay…Chocolate chips!" she clapped and sat at the counter as Deeks got the fixings for pancakes out.

"NO CHOCOLATE CHIPS!" Kensi yelled from the bathroom.

"KAREN!" Deeks yelled back. He turned to Cassie and put his fingers to his lips. "Shhh!" he grinned as he poured a handful of chocolate chips into her pancakes.

Cassie giggled as she watched him.

It was amazing to Deeks how quickly she had taken to him, he loved the way she called him Daddy and was opening up at home. She was still very wary of strangers but since the wedding in New Mexico under their new names she had shyly the next morning asked if she could call him Daddy and he hadn't stop smiling for 2 days. Cassie in return hadn't stopped smiling when 3 months ago they announced that they were having a new baby. The fact she was going to be a big sister meant a lot to her and she was learning all about child development in her online courses and was loving the fact her parents had allowed her to go to the first appointment and saw her brother on the Sonogram.

Deeks would every evening do a circuit around the town jogging, becoming a friendly face, drumming up work for them and keeping an eye out for new faces, while Cassie caught up with her schoolwork, as although she was homeschooled now she was joining the local school in the fall.

"Bella!" Cassie called as the puppy bounded inside and sat next to her.

Deeks had been training the puppy to protect his daughter and so far Bella was living up to the task. The two of them were inseparable. Bella was slightly crazy, but loved Cassie totally and would let her do anything to her, as Deeks found out when Bella came down the morning before with eye-shadow and lipstick and a big red bow.

After laughing for twenty minutes he and Cassie had bathed the dog.

* * *

Callen and Sam were still at OSP in LA.

The building seemed quieter since Deeks had disappeared.

They assumed it was because Kensi had been killed by an IED in Afghanistan. Sam had reached out to Deeks as soon as the team had been told of her death to find out that he had given Monty to Hetty and had taken a small bag and left the next day.

Hetty was uncharacteristically quiet on the subject; Callen had assumed that after Dominic, losing Kensi was talking its toll on her. Callen had asked Eric and Nell to run a trace on Deeks' car, only to find it in a parking lot at LAX.

After three months Granger had come back to L.A. with Agent Sabatino, who had been transferred from the CIA to work on the L.A. team…he left after two more months. Callen and Sam were unwilling to work with him, he wouldn't tell them how Kensi died and they blamed him and Granger for not protecting her.

Granger for his own part would not talk about Kensi or Deeks at all.

Callen found it unnerving.

"I hate that they are keeping secrets from us." Callen said as Sam walked behind him out of the mission for the day.

"Is this why you're still giving Hetty the cold shoulder?" Sam asked.

"I don't know what you mean?" Callen replied cagily.

"You don't sit with Hetty and chat to her anymore; you come in do your job and go home."

"So do you?" Callen countered.

"Do you blame her?" Sam asked as they climbed into the challenger.

"No…I blame the guy who killed Kensi, Sabatino and Granger for not watching her back…I…I'm disappointed with Hetty for not pulling her in time." Callen admitted, "And I'm really mad with Deeks, for running away!" Callen growled. "We could have helped him."

"He didn't want to be helped." Sam said sadly, he owed Deeks so much and it hurt him as well that their liaison officer had left his badge with Hetty and had dropped off the face of the earth.

"I can't believe even Eric and Nell couldn't find him." Callen said, "It's so strange they can find anyone."

Sam shrugged, "Only if they don't know that the wonder twins are looking, Deeks knows so he can hide from them."

"I hate to say it but I miss our old team, I don't want to break in two new agents." Callen said looking at the pile of applicants in his bag.

"We need two more," Sam sighed, "They'll never be Kensi and Deeks but it is needed. We can't let the bad guys get the upper hand because we are short handed."

Callen begrudgingly agreed with them.

Callen stopped as his phone rang, "its Nell." He said.

"Callen." He said on answer. He listened for a few moments and nodded, "We'll head down there you sent the information to our phones."

"We're off to a small town called, Smith River, a Marine had been murdered." Callen told Sam. "Nell will brief us on the way. We are just going to blend in with the locals and see if we can find his killer."

* * *

In OSP, Hetty walked down the stairs and looked over to see Granger at her desk.

"Owen?" she said surprised, "Is everything ok. I haven't seen you for months, is everything alright?" she asked worried.

"As far as I know, I got a package in the mail today, addressed to both of us." Granger said and handed Hetty a package.

Hetty opened it and looked down at the wedding picture of Deeks and Kensi with Kayla standing happily with them.

"They look like a happy couple." Granger said.

"Is the CIA still looking?" Hetty asked trailing her finger over the faces of her missing agents. And despite the fact he was LAPD Deeks was still one of hers.

Granger nodded, "Still."

Hetty moved the picture, looked at the child's drawing and then a small photograph underneath.

"Oh…my…."she smiled and showed Owen the grainy black and white picture in her hand.

"Really….that's a real wedding picture?" Owen said amazed, "And that's…!"

Hetty smiled, "A baby…"

* * *

Kensi and Cassie walked into the store as Deeks was putting up shelves and handed him a flask of coffee and a packet of sandwiches.

"Daddy…Can I have some candy?" she asked grinning.

"If it's ok with mommy, you can see if Simon has some in his store."

Kensi smiled as Simon walked out from the back, "Karen, Cassie…good morning." Simon Pantling walked out of his storeroom to meet his two newest favorite customers.

"Candy?" Cassie asked as she walked over to him.

"Candy huh?" Simon smiled, "Ok…he led her to the jars of candy in the store."

Cassie grinned as she looked over the candy looking for her favorite and frowned when she didn't see it. "Oh and this one." Simon picked up her favorite from the back and she grabbed a handful of candy and put it in the bag. Giving Simon the money he handed the child her candy and watched as she skipped over happily sucking on a tootsie pop to watch her father work.

"Did you hear?" Simon said as he sat on a chair next to Kensi.

"What?" Kensi asked as she took the chair he offered.

"There was a murder last night at the local high school."

"Really?" Kensi and Deeks both turned to Simon.

"Who?"

"Chuck Yeager poor kid was only 25, just done a tour in the corps. Was home on leave."

"That's nasty, Cops got a lead?" Kensi asked.

"I have no idea Karen; it's been the talk in the Laundromat all morning. I heard about 20 minutes ago." He said, "Sally and Frank are devastated."

"That's so awful," Kensi said keeping her cover intact.

"Mommy, Can we bake Aunt Sally and Uncle Frank a cake?" Cassie asked.

Kensi nodded, "If Simon has everything we need?" Kensi asked.

Sally Yeager was a teacher at the local high school and had been helping Cassie with her catch up lessons; as a result they had become very close.

Cassie ran over to the shelves and looked for what her mother needed.

* * *

As soon as the shopping was done, Deeks helped Kensi exit the store putting the bags in the back of the truck, telling Bella who was sitting in the back not to eat the groceries.

Deeks kissed Kensi as a familiar black car drove into the main street and pulled over not believing what they were seeing.

"Is…Is that Deeks…?" Callen said.

"And Kensi?" Sam asked just as stunned.

They got out of the car as Deeks called, "Cassie…get in the car, stop bothering Simon."

"Coming Daddy!" a small voice replied as Sam and Callen exchanged glances.

"Mark?" Simon came out, "Karen…oh good, I hoped you hadn't gone yet. You forgot your vitamins for the baby." He said handing her a package.

Karen walked over and kissed Simon on the cheek, "Thank you, tell Sally I'll be over later as soon as I bake a second cake…Cassie inherited her father's talent for cooking." She laughed as Deeks wrapped his arms around her.

"Hey I can cook!" Deeks protested.

"It's true, Daddy makes the bestest Chocolate chip pancakes…..Err….with blueberries…" Cassie said and squealed as Deeks lifted her up and spun her around.

"DADDY!" Cassie squealed with laughter,

Deeks stopped halfway round as he spotted Sam and Deeks walking up the sidewalk.

"Ka…Karen," Deeks said in a strangulated voice as he lowered his daughter to the ground.

Kensi turned around at the sound automatically searching for Cassie.

Her eyes stopped as they landed on some familiar blue ones.

"Callen?" she breathed.

Sam and Callen looked at their missing detective and his obviously pregnant 'dead' partner.

"Well…This is a surprise…" Callen said coldly.

"Daddy?" Cassie said looking at the two men with fear.

"Get in the truck Cassie." Deeks said in a flat voice, "Karen, take Cassie home."

"But mommy I want to stay with Daddy?" Cassie moaned.

"I think you should all come with us." Sam said.

"Go!" Deeks hissed and Kensi moved to the car.

"Kensi?" Sam said.

Kensi looked at them with tears in her eyes, "Please…Sam, Callen, forget you saw us. Just let us go please?" she asked.

Sam looked at her bump. "Deeks'?" he asked.

"Yes it is my husband's child," She took out a pen and paper, "Come here, after you've completed your investigation, we will explain everything." She promised. She turned and kissed Deeks, "Finish up Mark and come home, we'll talk to our friends." She said.

"Is everything ok?" Simon asked.

Kensi smiled, "My brother, I haven't seen him for a long time." Karen explained gesturing to Callen and hoping he wouldn't say anything.

"Ok, I will see you later Karen, please…be there." Callen replied hugging his 'sister' but not wanting to let her go.

"We'll be there."

"Well if it's family," Simon smiled. "Mark you head home with your family these shelves will keep till tomorrow."

Deeks nodded, "I'll put my tools away and then I'll go, Thanks Simon."

Callen and Sam went to deal with the murder and Kensi, Deeks and Cassie along with Bella went home.

The young family walked in the door and closed it, Cassie and Bella going off to play in her room.

Kensi held onto Deeks and burst into tears as her hormones overwhelmed her, "Deeks…what are we going to do?" she sobbed.

"I dunno Kenz, it'll be ok…I promise it will be ok." He said as he held his wife tightly.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4.

Callen and Sam, took notes and talked to people looking into the case of Chuck Yeager, it was pretty cut and dried, Chuck had been murdered by the new boyfriend of his ex girlfriend, it turned out not to be too big a deal, which both men were thankful for as right now they didn't want to be at the local high school but assisting the sheriff in taking the murderer away, the sheriff turned to Callen.

"So Agent…Callen?" he smiled, "You're Karen Jackson's brother?" he asked.

Callen nodded, "That's right, I lost touch with her after she got married, it was a shock seeing her this morning." He admitted.

"The Jacksons are a lovely couple, she's suck a good cook…Makes pies for the town and sells them in store."

"Karen cooks?" Callen asked incredulously.

The sheriff smiled, "Oh yeah, I pick up one of her pies at least once a week." He nodded, "I think I have some in the car from this morning if you want to try some." He offered.

"No thanks." Callen and Sam said together.

The sheriff looked at them strangely. Callen smirked, "I used to eat her mud pies, never got rid of the taste." He laughed.

"Well young man, I hope you don't go upsetting them, the Jacksons are a wonderful family, a great credit to the town." He said and turned to take his suspect into custody.

Sam turned to Callen, "I suppose we'd better go and see your sister then." He smiled as they got in the car.

As they drove off the smile slipped.

"Do you think they've been here all this time?" Sam asked.

Callen shrugged, "I don't know, I want to know why Granger and Hetty said she was dead…I'm wondering if they knew, I mean Granger had to know, but Hetty? She wouldn't have kept us in the dark…and Deeks…Why did he not feel like he could tell us what was going on I mean we are a team." Callen sighed.

* * *

Cassie put a dress on while her mother cooked dinner and her father tidied the house up, Bella was running around Cassie's feet as she came into the kitchen and climbed up kneeling on a chair with her elbows on the counter.

"Mommy?" she said waiting as her mother pulled a hot pan out of the oven; she basted some meat and put it back in again.

"Was that man my uncle?" she asked having heard what her daddy had said to Simon in the store.

"Kinda…" Kensi said looking over at the cookbook she was working from.

"What about the other man?" she asked.

"Callen and Sam are both your uncles. Not in blood, but they are good friends of mine and daddy's from a while ago."

"From before you found me again?"

"Uh huh." Kensi reached into a cupboard and found that with her bump she couldn't reach the shelf she needed. "Mark?!" she called.

"You ok?" Deeks asked running in.

Kensi smiled, "I'm fine baby, but I can't reach the cardamon on the top shelf…Can you?" she asked.

He reached up and handed it to her, "We're all ready, for them, Come on kiddo, you can help me set the table." He grinned.

Cassie jumped off the chair as Kensi mouthed thank you. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and Deeks and Cassie set the table, Cassie running out into the garden to pick wildflowers for the table.

The house, well an oversized log cabin, in itself was rustic; there was an internet connection, which was rarely used. There was a generator but no mains electricity and there was a bottled gas supply out the rear of the building, in a room which Deeks kept locked up as it also held the guns, and though Cassie was still a better shot than either of them, they had taken the therapists advice and kept things like that out of her way so she wouldn't be reminded of her past, just her future as a loved little girl and above all else Kensi and Deeks were determined to give that to her.

Cassie put her flowers in an old glass jar which she had hand painted into a vase and put it in the middle of the table as Sam and Callen pulled up in the challenger.

Deeks looked at Cassie, "Tell mommy they're here, I have to have a quick word with them first." He said and went out the front of the house.

* * *

"Guy's you have to leave your guns in the car." Deeks said.

Sam shook his head, "No way." He snapped, "Portal to portal, you know the rule." He said.

"We do not allow guns in our house, it upsets Kensi and the baby, and it'll put Cassie's therapy back." He said not budging his position.

Callen looked at him, "Cassie's frightened by guns?" he asked.

Deeks shook his head, "It's a long story, but you won't be upsetting my daughter if you want to come in, it's your choice guys." Deeks said.

Callen nodded and took his gun and put it in the glove box. "Sam." He said.

"Fine…this is stupid," he snapped and handed Callen his gun.

"Karen's cooked." Deeks grinned at their faces, "She's a great cook, she just hadn't learned before." He said "Come on your just in time to eat."

They walked in and both were surprised at the delicious smells coming out of the kitchen, Bella bounded up to the two men barking.

"Bella…Down…Friend." Deeks said Bella sat and waited as Deeks stroked behind her ear and she went to lie on the plaid rug in front of the open log fire.

"Nice." Callen said looking around "Very rustic." He commented.

Kensi walked in, in a flowing white sundress that accentuated her pregnancy bump in flat sandals, her hair was up in a ponytail and flowing down and she was in every sense of the word 'Glowing'.

"Sam, Callen…" she said smiling as she walked up to Deeks and held his hand.

"Mark and Karen, right?" Callen asked, trying to get it right.

Kensi nodded, "Yeah, we've been here about six months, do you want a drink?" she asked, they nodded and Kensi got 5 bottled waters from the fridge. "Please, sit down dinner ready." She smiled, "I can cook honest." She laughed.

Callen was surprised, she looked totally happy, not like they had remembered her. There was no junk food in the house, and no alcohol. "So no beer?" Callen asked looking at the bottled water.

"Marks rule, no alcohol means no accidentally turning into his father, besides, right now he'd be the only one who could drink." She said.

She got a large serving platter with a chicken on it out of the oven; it already had roast vegetables arranged around it.

"Sit." She said indicating two seats, they sat down, "Mark…Cassie…Dinner!" she called.

"Coming mommy." Cassie called back.

They both came in from the back garden Deeks wiping dirt down his pants and taking his work boots off, Cassie held out a bunch of daisies to her mother, "Daddy and I picked these for you." She smiled.

Kensi smelled them and popped them into another glass jar on the side with some water, "Go wash up, both of you and we'll eat." She said and headed to the table.

"Cassie?" Sam asked. As they both headed out of sight.

"Our daughter," Kensi said, "I'll explain after dinner."

"An assignment?" Callen asked.

"Sort of… please, let's eat first, I'm hungry and we'll talk after dinner, do you have rooms in town or have you wrapped the case up?" She asked while they waited for the others to join them.

"We're wrapped up, but we were going to see if we could get rooms and go back tomorrow, it's a long drive," Sam admitted.

Kensi nodded, "It took us six months to eventually find this place. We have 2 spare rooms, one's a guest room, and it has a bed, the other we are turning into a nursery for the baby. There's no bed, but Callen, if you have your bed roll you are welcome to stay the night." She said.

"Thank you." Callen said, this was surreal, here he was in a lovely tidy family home while one of his 'dead' junior agents made him dinner, he was trying to think about the program he watched as a child that this reminded him of…the twilight zone. He smiled as Cassie and Mark walked in talking about her lessons.

* * *

"You'll still have to carry on with your workbooks until Mrs. Yeager is ready to help you again." Deeks' voice carried down the hall.

"But daddy, we have guests, can I just skip lessons for tonight…we _**never **_have guests!" she pleaded.

Cassie walked into the room and she instantly was quiet. Looking at the two men.

"Hello Cassie, I'm your uncle Sam," Sam smiled at her as if he was talking to his own daughters.

She looked him up and down suspiciously and looked at her mother who was totally relaxed and nodded, she gave a huge grin and ran into him hugging him, "Hi uncle Sam," he said.

Despite his reservations about what was going on here, Sam laughed.

"Smells great honey," Deeks said kissing his wife and sitting down.

She brought the food to the table, and dished everyone up a meal.

They ate mostly in silence with both Callen and Sam breaking it expressing how good the meal was. As Deeks cleared the dishes for dessert Cassie turned to both men, "Do you work with Uncle Owen?" she asked.

They looked surprised, "Owen? Granger?" Callen asked turning to Kensi.

"Uncle Owen saved me from my bad Daddy and helped me hide with mommy and my good daddy," she said.

"Your bad daddy?" Sam asked.

Kensi waited, this was the first time Cassie had talked about it and she wanted to see what she came out with.

Cassie nodded. "I used to have a bad name, Kayla Simon. But then mommy came to the desert and daddy lied to me and a man shot him and he went to heaven, but then the other bad men wanted to find me so mommy and uncle Owen took me to grandma Hetty's and she got daddy to come and take me and mommy here where it's safe, I'm gonna grow up and be a princess like my mommy and help look after my baby brother and now I have a nice name, Cassie Jackson." She said.

Callen had a whole slew of questions, but he could see the tell tale signs of a kid who had seen too much as was trying desperately to put it behind her, so he smiled and gave Sam a, 'don't say anything', look.

Deeks walked back in with a huge double chocolate fudge cake.

"Is it someone's birthday mommy? You made the double double cake; you only make that for birthdays." Cassie said.

"I made it because you've been very good this week and daddy and I love you." Kensi said with a smile.

"Mommy, can I take my cake to my room?" she asked, she was feeling good and decided to work some more on her project.

Kensi looked over at Deeks, "Sure kiddo, but I want your plate in the sink before bed ok?" Deeks said.

Cassie smiled a huge grin; she looked the spitting image of Kensi, "Thank you." She grabbed her plate and with a bright smile at the others ran off to her room.

* * *

Deeks brought coffee for Sam and Callen and herbal teas for him and Kensi and they ate cake around the table.

"Wow Kensi…you can really cook!" Sam exclaimed.

Kensi smiled "I never had a need before now." She admitted, "I did a course, two towns back. Mother and daughter course, so Cassie cooks as well."

"She's your daughter…not an assignment?" Callen asked.

"She is my daughter, I was engaged to a marine named Jack Simon for two years, we had a daughter Kayla, I had post partum depression and he had PTSD, I woke up one Christmas morning to find he had gone and taken her with him, no note…nothing, I was inconsolable for months. During that time I met Hetty, she knew I was looking for my father's killer, and she agreed to allow me to join your team and not have to mention Kayla's existence, I figured if you knew I had a child and she was missing, you would treat me different. I have spent years looking for her, it's the reason I never got past the first date, I couldn't tell them about her and I didn't want to lie to them. Then I got the mission in Afghanistan." She said.

"We were told you were killed by an IED, if you finished that mission why didn't you come home?" Callen asked.

"I kind of haven't finished the mission," she told them, "White Ghost is dead, it was Jack…but the CIA are still searching for Casper, his accomplice."

Sam nodded, "I've heard of Casper, crack shot, in and out like a ghost." He said.

"Cassie." Kensi told them.

"Cassie?" Callen asked.

Deeks put his cup down and held Kensi's hand, "Cassie was Casper. She was told I was dead and her father was abusing her and making her shoot things, but Jack was not rogue. The CIA knew what he was doing he was training my daughter to be able to infiltrate Taliban strongholds to kill the leaders."

Callen and Sam both looked shocked.

"Owen helped me smuggle her out of the country and Hetty put me and Cassie in protective custody, with Deeks."

"So not really married?" Callen asked.

Deeks gave them a goofy grin, "Nope, really married, and she's really having my child. We've been here six months; we don't want to move again. The CIA hasn't even heard of this place, we are as off the grid as possible, we don't even have cell phones. If you feel like you have to turn us in at least give us a year, let Kensi have the baby." He said. "Or do we have to leave tomorrow."

"You know we'd protect you right?" Sam said.

"It's not like that." Deeks said. "The CIA is still looking for Kayla Simon and Kensi Blye, they are not looking for Cassie and Karen Jackson, our covers are intact, I changed my name legally, Hetty has the papers, and then Mark Jackson married Karen Bailey. Cassie and our son are our top priorities, if you can be trusted to keep our secret then we can stay, Karen's fine but I don't want to put her or the baby under undue stress right now. We didn't want to disappear like that but keeping our daughter safe is my top priority." Deeks said with a maturity that they had never seen in him.

Sam nodded, he totally understood.

"We won't let anyone know where you are, do Hetty and Owen know?" Callen asked.

"I sent them a parcel last week; it had our wedding photos in it and a sonogram of our son." Deeks admitted.

Kensi stood up and walked into the living room and pulled an album out the others followed as Deeks walked into the kitchen, "I'll be back soon, I'm gonna do the dishes and a perimeter sweep." Deeks told them.

Callen put his head up, "Let me know when you do your sweep, I'll come with you." He said.

Deeks nodded and headed for the kitchen as Kensi opened the album, they looked down to see Kensi in a beautiful empire style white dress with a purple ribbon, and Cassie in a purple silk dress in a white ribbon holding a small bunch of daisies. "You look beautiful Kens." Sam said. He turned the page to see Deeks in a white suit with a light purple shirt. And cowboy boots on his feet.

"Cowboy boots," Callen laughed.

"We were in Texas." Kensi told them, "it was the same day Mark adopted Cassie." She smiled remembering the look on their daughters face when the judge who married Kensi and Deeks then turned and asked Cassie if she wanted Mark Jackson to adopt her.

Cassie had squealed and leapt into Deeks' arms, "You'll be my daddy?!" she yelled, "For reals!"

He had nodded and she had kissed his cheek.

"That was five months ago the day we became a real family, our names may be different and we may be in hiding but we will always do what's best for our children and having our daughter become a pawn in a CIA fight is not it. She doesn't have any secrets Jack never told her anything, but they still think she has Intel. Hetty's been keeping an ear to the ground, I am glad you know I'm not dead, and we are sorry for the sadness it caused you but we had to save her, she's our daughter." Kensi said.

Callen stood up and walked across the room, "I'm glad you're not dead to Kensi," he hugged her tight. "We will do what we can to help and one day you and Deeks will walk back into the mission, let Eric and Nell know your alive and come back to your family where you belong."

"I hope so too," Deeks said as he entered. "How long can you stay?" he asked.

"Tonight only, we have to head back tomorrow, we will let Hetty know we saw you and you're well," Sam said

"Only Hetty and Owen." Deeks warned.

"We got the riot act from your wife." Sam grinned.

Deeks smiled, he walked over and kissed her, "I'm locking up the perimeter Hun, and I'll be back soon." He told her.

"Stay safe." She said holding him tight.

Deeks smiled, "I have Bella and Callen, I'm gonna be fine." He grinned and whistled for the dog.

Kensi sank back into the couch and put her feet up, "Been a hell of a day Sam." She sighed.

He sat on the couch and took her foot massaging it the same way he had done when his wife was pregnant. "Yeah it has, I'm glad you're not dead Kensi."

She smiled, "Me too." She replied


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Callen and Deeks walked around the perimeter of the property, checking the fences as Bella ran ahead her tail wagging.

"Nice Dog." Callen said as he watched her run wagging her tail.

Deeks shrugged, "I missed Monty." He said, "And Cassie's therapist said a pet would be good for her, and you can move quickly with a dog and its great protection."

"So what happened, from your point of view, I know what Kensi …" Callen stopped at the look Deeks gave him, "Sorry, Karen told us. But I wanna hear your point of view." He pushed.

"I got a call from Hetty, told I was needed for an undercover assignment and turned up at her house with Monty, there was this little girl looked no more than 5 but she was actually 7, terrified and jumpy, she wouldn't eat at the table with us, she'd been trained to eat with the animals so she sat with Monty, I had no idea, ya know." He said stopping and running his hand through his hair, "Callen I love that little girl so much like she's my own, I can't let them hurt her…Jack was training her with the aid of the CIA to be an undercover soldier, I mean, like those child soldiers in Africa, but a girl and in Afghanistan, with a full burkha on she could easily hide a weapon."

Deeks walked over to the stump he cut logs on and sat down.

"She's so wonderful, she's bright, funny. Exactly like Kensi…I'm her father…I mean not biologically but in every sense of the word she is mine and I will kill to keep her from the CIA." He said with a biting edge to his voice.

Callen nodded.

"Do you miss us?" Callen asked, he hoped not as Deeks and Kensi seemed to have found the perfect place to live.

"Only every damn day, I don't know about Karen. But I do, I miss the surf and the beach, and Eric and Nell and you guys…Hell." He laughed, "I even miss Bates on occasion, and the hardest part is seeing a crime in progress and having to act like I don't know what to do."

"You've done that?"

Deeks nodded, "The day before Karen and I got married, I'd gone with Cassie to buy the wedding rings from a small jewelers and it was robbed, I had to put Cassie behind me and keep her safe, the hardest part was stopping her from shooting them." He said with a wry smile. "She was so mad afterwards, we still got our rings, and she hid them. But she was so mad that they got away. She was so much like her mother it was all I could do not to smile at her." He admitted.

"She is a lot like her mother, but you can tell she loves you too." Callen said.

Deeks smiled shyly, "Thanks, I try my best."

"And you're having a son?" he said.

"We are, I do love her Callen, and you know that, all we want is to be a family, be able to come home and go back to work."

"But you can't?" he asked.

Deeks shook his head, "Not until Granger or Hetty say it's safe, we've been here the longest, we want to stay till the baby is born, I don't want to move Karen while she's pregnant."

"What can we do?" Callen asked.

"Keep our secret, Let Hetty know we are ok and it's a boy, we sent her a sonogram, tell her we will send a picture when he's born. We will move as soon as Karen is able to travel, but we may head nearer your way, somewhere with a beach." Deeks' eyes drifted off for a second and Callen could see how much this really hurt him.

"You never lived more than a mile from your childhood home, why was that?" He asked.

"My mother…she was hurt…by my father when I was eleven and I shot him, he'd been beating her up with a pipe, she had drugs on her and he wanted them." He admitted.

"God…How bad was it?"

"She's been in a coma since I was eleven, her insurance ran out a few years ago, I joined NCIS as a liaison as the extra pay pays for mom's care, Hetty's making sure she's ok, but I haven't seen her since I left and I used to see her once a week." He admitted.

Deeks took a small notepad and pen out of his pocket wrote an address on it and gave it to Callen, "Can you look in on her from time to time, please, just so she's not alone, I mean, they say she might be able to hear, tell her I'm alright." He looked away quickly to wipe the tears that were forming from his eyes.

"I'll look in on her, I promise." Callen said.

Deeks nodded his thanks and got up, whistling for Bella to join them. He switched on the perimeter lights and turned to walk back to the house.

"Don't tell Karen…about my mother, I don't want her to feel bad, the stress won't be good for the baby, I'd kinda appreciate it if you didn't tell Sam either," he said.

Callen nodded, "No problem,"

* * *

They walked back to the house as Cassie walked out of the kitchen.

"Daddy!" she laughed and jumped on his back, "Piggy back and story?" she asked.

Deeks smiled and handed Callen Bella's leash, "Put that back for me." He said pointing to a nail on the wall inside the doorway.

"Come on then," he laughed hiking her up and jogging past a smiling Kensi and a bemused Sam.

"He's a great father." Kensi said watching him go, "He loves us so much. But something is worrying him, did he say anything?" she asked Callen as he walked into the room.

"Nothing." Callen said.

Kensi looked at him, "Ok. So what are you guys planning on doing, you know Cassie is wanted by the CIA, you know why, my question is, are you taking us in now? Do we need to run?" she said.

"Neither, she's a kid and deserves to be one, and we can't arrest you, Karen Jackson and Mark Jackson are not wanted for anything, and If I pop out here every once in a while to see a foster sister I'm close too, who can begrudge me," Callen said with a smirk.

Kensi got off the couch and wrapped Callen in a hug, "Thank you." She said.

Callen looked out of the window, "It's getting late, Sam and I have an early start in the morning, you got anything you want us to take back to Hetty?" he asked.

"I'd like to write her a letter." Kensi said, "I can have it for you by the morning.

Callen nodded, "We won't leave without it."

"You won't leave without breakfast either," she said.

"Yes Ma'am." Callen grinned, he picked up his bedroll and headed for the room Kensi said he could use. As he opened the door, he could see the couple's preparations for their impending child. There was so much love poured into the room, a handmade crib, and changing table, hand painted pictures on the wall including one of their handprints with a space for the babies hand print. Deeks had already moved the crib so there was room for his bedroll he laid it out and lied back on the floor, thinking about how this day had gone much better than he had expected.

Kensi wasn't dead, Deeks hadn't dropped out and left them, he was protecting the most precious things on the planet, his family. He was mad that Hetty had known but not told them. In fact the more he thought about it the madder he got. But he held it in; there would be time for a face to face talk with her tomorrow. He sure as hell wasn't going to call her on an unsecured line and put them at risk. He did however send her a quick text then he lay back, practicing his Russian in his head until he started to doze off and finally slept.

In Los Angeles, Hetty was heading off to bed herself as she received Callen's text message.

Mother and baby fine, staying with a friend back tomorrow. Night Ma.

Hetty smiled as she figured it out, they had somehow found Kensi and Deeks, she took one more look at the message and then headed to bed, and she knew she would have some explaining to do tomorrow.


End file.
